European Research Council invests €653 million in ground-breaking research

€653 million of EU funding will go to 269 senior researchers across Europe, giving them a chance to realise innovative ideas and produce results that will have a major impact on science, society and the economy.

Carlos Moedas European Commissioner for Research, Science and Innovation, said: "This grant scheme has supported outstanding and established research leaders since 2007. It is a great example of how EU funding can help expand the frontiers of scientific knowledge, providing the resources necessary to continue ground-breaking, high-risk projects, and ensure Europe's global competitiveness." Advanced researchers will explore among many other topics innovative heart regeneration treatments, the aggressiveness of different bacteria and the effects of air pollution on the development of babies.

The grants of up to €2.5 million per project are selected by the European Research Council (ERC) and financed through Horizon 2020, the EU Research and Innovation programme. More information including project examples and statistics is available in a news item